Every solar installation involves professional designers, installers and laborers. But what about other industries and professionals who affect the success the overall life-cycle cost of a photovoltaic (PV) installation and its transaction value over time? These “allies” can include professionals such as: bankers; insurance brokers; real estate brokers and appraisers; building and electrical inspectors; zoning board members; state and local regulators; electric utility professionals and others.

The SunShot Initiative drives research, manufacturing, and market solutions and supports innovative efforts by private companies, universities, and national laboratories to drive down the cost of solar electricity to the SunShot target by reducing solar technology costs, reducing grid integration costs, and accelerating solar deployment nationwide. This session is an opportunity to educate potential and current awardees on SunShot’s goals and expectations and field questions on how most effectively to interact with SunShot.

This session will explore the technologies, processes, and policies needed for interconnection and integrated operation of solar power at any penetration level. Panelists will discuss the optimization and technology needs in order for solar power to interconnect and operate sustainably. Join us to explore the pathways through which solar penetration can be optimized across various environments, including integration with loads and other power sources at the building and microgrid levels.

Does solar have a future as a base load electricity source? This session explores a vision in which solar power plants can provide dispatchability, predictability, and reliability comparable to conventional generation, while offering affordable electricity for consumers. Panelists will address the possible configuration, components, and performance characteristics of such a plant, including the roles of energy storage and load response for both grid-scale and aggregated distributed-scale solar projects.

The consolidated data center at the Legacy Management Business Center (LMBC) in Morgantown, West Virginia, is now guarded by a state-of-the-art FM-200® Fire Suppression System. Installation of the new system began on June 11, 2013, and the system became operational on July 18.

Diana Lewis, a West Virginia native and founder of Action Facilities Management, Inc., a Department of Energy contractor, is one of the small business owners being recognized by her state as the Small Business Person of the Year. During National Small Business Week she will travel to Washington, D.C. to receive an award and compete for the national title, which will be awarded on June 21.

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management’s (LM) efforts to maintain long-term surveillance and maintenance (LTS&M) records were highlighted during the 2013 Waste Management Symposia held February 24 through 28, in Phoenix, Arizona.